Coin-detector.



v C. H. GREEN.

COIN DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7. 1915.

1,154,919. Pdtented Sept. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

C. H. GREEN.

COIN DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 7. 1915.

l 1 54,9 1 9 1 Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v lav 622237:-

TIE SA n ion.

CLIFFORD H. GREEN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB, TO NATIONAL PIANO MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F GRAND RAPIDS, I-JIIGHIGAN, A GORPORATIUN OF- ILLINOIS.

COIN-DETECTOR.

Specification of Letters Iatent. 'Pzttentjved fidfipt. 2S; 1915,

Application filed January 7,. 1915. Serial No. 914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I CLIFFORD H. GREEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent'and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coin-Detectors, of which the following is a full, clear, andeic act description. i f i ltllyinvention relates to coin detectors designed foruse in connection with coin-operated automatic piano players, and other coin-operated machines. I

The object ofmy invention is to detect spurious coins by the difierencein diameter between them and a good coin of the denomination for which they are substituted, and to retain and send the good'coins down through the chute in payment of the service rendered and eject the spurious coins and counterfeit substitutes before they can reach the discharge end of the chute. This 1 accomplish by the means hereinafter fully de-.

scribed and as particularly pointedvout in the. claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is aside view of a coin chute detached from thejinechanical contrivance n connection with which it is designed to be used, and having my improvements applied, thereto. Fig. 2 is a front edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the upper broken away portion of the chute looking at the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections of the chute taken on dotted line t, t, Fig. 1,, and. illustrating different positions of the escapement for retaining the good coins in and ejecting the counterfeits from the chute. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a fragment of the upper end.

of the chute taken on dotted line 6, Fig. 2. Fig. '7' is a detail view showing the gageplate in perspective. I

The drawings show a coin chute A, the

upper portion of which is inclined down ward to and discharges into the lower vertical portion that constitutes a continuation thereof. The throat of this chute is, preferably, of the same dimensions throughout its length, and its upper end or entrance is guarded by a suitably attached "esc'utcheon 2 that has a suitable vertically elongated slot therein of just the proper dimensions to permit the insertion therethrough of the coin desired. to be used in COIlllQClJiOIF'Wlllll and secured to the side of the chute by a lug 5. This trough has its upper end portion under the upper portion of said chute and.

it extends obliquely downward past the side of the chuteopposite to which its lug 5 is attached. Slugs or counterfeit coins falling into this trough are conveyed thereby to any point desired. The diameter of a good coin is. always the same, in view of the great care and the accurate machinery employed in its manufacture, and is slightly greater in diameter than the slugs or counterfeits substituted therefor. The good coin is pre vented from falling through escape-opening 3' by means of a gage-plate 6 consisting of a strip of sheet metal'having a longitudinally elongated slot 7 near .its upper end through which a set-screw is passed that is tapped into the under edge of the chute between the escape and its upper end and secures said gage-plate thereto. gage-plate is bent upward to form a guard 8 which extends into the escape-opening a short distance, but not enough to reach the inclined plane of the floor of the upper portion of the chute. This gage-plate can be adjusted longitudinally to determine the length of the escape opening so as to prevent the good coin from falling through into the discharge trough and supports it about in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and vet permits the counterfeitcoin or slug to fall through. The sides'of the upper end of the gage is providedwith upwardly extending wings 9, 9,

that lap against the sides of the chute and pushed or kicked baclr'into the throat of the chute so that it can continueits course The lower end of this through the same. The good coin is pushed back intothe throat of the chute by means of a transversely disposed somewhat crescent shaped escapement 10 that is pivoted about its center of length between pivotal chute, and when the escapement is moved so immediately back of the escutcheon.

that the lower horn moves away from escape opening 3 it moves through slots 14: in the side of the chute.

It will be apparent that, every coin or substitute therefor must be stoppedlong enough to permit it to fall into the escape opening. This fact, and the further fact that the lower horn must swing up under the'escape-opening every time a coin or its substitute is inserted in the chute, makes. it

necessary for the movement of the escapement to; be retarded a certain length of time to permit the slug or substitute for the coin to fall through'the escape-opening into the discharge, trough before the lower horn 12' moves up under said opening, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawlngs. This requires a timing device for delaying the movement of the escapement. When the coin or substitute therefor is pushed through the escutcheon into the, chuteit engages the short end of a lever 15, which is pivoted just above the horizontal plane of the upper end of the coin slot of the escutcheon, in a suitable longitudinally extending opening 16 in the upper end of the upper edgeof the chlute he longer end of the lever 15 extends obliquely to the, rear practically over the chute a dis-. tance slightlybeyond the vertical planeiof the rear vertical edge of the vertical por: tion of the same, and this lever is kept in such a position that its longer arm is practically parallel to. the, upper edge of the id clined portion of the; chute, substantially as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, by a spring 17, that connects it, at a point slightly to the rear of its fulcrum, to the side of the chute. The rear end of lever 15 is provided witha wire-detent 18 the ends ofwhich are secured by means of screws 19, 19, to. the

lever. Next its ends this detent is coiled to give it greater resiliency, and is bent laterally toward the vertical plane ofthe adjacent sides of the chute so that the subj'ournaled in bearings 21 that are, preferstantially straight, stretch of the, wire between its coiled portions will bear against, an upwardly and. rearwardly extending shaft 20. The lower. end of this shaft is suitably ably, cast in onefpiece with the side of the chute, and its upper part is journaled in the horizontally bent upperend of post .22'wh'ose lower end is secured in any suitable manner to the side of chute A opposite that from which bearings 21 project. The

upper end of shaft 20 extends through its bearings a suitable distance and has butterfly vanes 23 secured-thereto. These vanes consistof a single piece of sheet-metal having a knuckle made midway between its vertically disposed edges up through which the shaft extends. Between its bearings shaft 20 is surrounded by a spiral wire 2% the lower end of which terminates a suitable distance above its lower bearing. lVhenia coin is pushed into the chute and engages the upper short end or beak 25 of lever 15 the rear, end of said lever is raised into the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and the straight portion of the wire-detent 18 will engage the spiral wire as the lever is pulled back to its normal lower position by spring 17 This engagement causes shaft 20to re volve and the air resists vanes 23 and prevents the too rapid movement of the shaft, and thus retardsthe downward movement of'the lever, but when thedetent reachesthe lower end of the spiral the resistance to the downward movement of the lever is removed and it drops quickly to the lower limit of its movement, and in doing so imparts a quick movement to the escapement that causes horn 12 thereof to kick upward into opening 31.

In order to utilize the action of the device just described to operate the escapement mechanism in the manner desired, I have provided a rod 26, thelower end of which is bent laterally and extends through a suitable opening in the center of length of the escapement and is retained therein by bending its extremity downward. The upper part of this rod extends through a-lateral ing 28 projecting from the side of lever 15, and between a suitable boss loosely mounted on the rod just above lug 28 and a longitudinally adjustable stop 30, the rodv is surrounded by a coil expansion spring 31. This stop30 consists of a short interiorly screw-threaded tubular member through which rod 26 extends in a transaxial direction, and a set-screw, which is tapped into the tubular member and'bitesthe rod and maintains the tubular member in any position desired. When lever 15 begins to rise lug 28 engages and commences to compress spring 31, which latter presses against stop 30, and through the medium of rod 26 causes escapement 1O tobe moved into the position shown in Fig. 5, at the same time the detent 18 .reachesthe upper limit of the spiral 2a on shaft 20.- Spring 31 compresses until lever 15 reaches the limit of its upward movement, and'then commences to expand, but neither :this expansion nor the downward movement of the lever 15 affects the 32 on rod 26, whereupon the": continued downward movementofthe lever moves the escapement into the position shown in Fig. ft of the drawings.

lower end of spindle'SG is bent laterally; in

the opposite direction to thelaterally bent upper end and has afor'wardly projecting arm 38 that laps against the vertical side of the chute opposite the post to which arm extends. Arm 38 is bent laterally, and extends through opening 39 in the sidewalls of the chute near its lower end.

In operation, when the forward extremity of arm 38 extends through, openings 39 the forward extremity of arm 3% will be, withdrawn from openings 35, and vice-versa. Spindle 3G isrocked so as to accomplish this action of the arms, 34 and 38, byimeans of a connecting-rod 40, which latter has one end pivotally connected to the laterally bent upper end of spindle-36, and from thence forward and upward and has its upper end extending through the lower extended end 41 of an armature 42. This armature is pivoted in the forward end of a bracket 43 secured to and projecting forward from the forward edge of the vertical portion of the chute.and said armature is attracted by the electro magnet 44 mounted upon bracket 1-8, which magnet is energized at stated in tervals in a mannerwhich it is unnecessary to detail. I

IVhat I claim as new is: a

1. In a device of the class described, a chute having an escape opening, an irregular shaped member adapted in one position to prevent a coin frompassing down through; saidchute beyond said escape-open1ng when the latter is open and in another position to open said chute and close the passage through said escape-opening, and means for moving said member. I Y

2. In a device of the class described, a chute having an escape-opening, a, crescent shaped memberadapted "in one position to prevent a coin from passing down through said chute beyond said escape-opening when the latter is open andin another position to open said chute and close the passage through said escape-opening, and meansfor 'moving said member.

3. In a device at the ass describedi a has been pushed back chute having escape-opening, an adjust- I able plate secured to the chute for regulating the size of the opening, a movableescapement controlling both the coin escape-open ing and the chute opening, andmeans 'for moving said "escapement.

4. In a device of the class described, a chute having an escapeeopening, an adjustable/plate secured to the chute for regulating the size of the opening, a movable escapement having a crescent-shaped member controlling both the escape-opening and the. chute openmg, and means forinovlng said escapement. 5;In a device of the class, described, a chute having an escape-opening, a crescent shaped pivotal member which in one position closes the chute and opens the coin escape opening and in another position opens the chute and closes the escape opening, and means for moving said crescent shapedinember on its pivot.

6. In a coin detector, the combinationwith a chute, the downwardly inclined intake portion ofiwhich has anelongated escape opening in the lower edge thereof, and devicesfor regulating the size of the passage throughsaid chute, of a substantially crescent-shaped. escapement which is adapted when in one'position to prevent a coin passing down said chute beyond said escapeopening when the latter is open for the passageof the coin and when in another position to prevent the passage of a coin.

through the'chute and to close the escapeopening, and means for moving saidescapement from one position to another.

7.,In a coin "detector, the combination with a chute the downwardly inclined intake portion of which has an elongated escape opening in the under edgethereof, of an escapement comprising a substantially. crescent shaped member fulcrumed between its ends whichIat its extreme movement in one direction closes theithroat of said chuteat a point just beyond said escape opening and opens the passage through said opening,

andat the limit of its movement in the op posite direction closes the passage through said openingiand opens said throat, and

means for moving said escapement from one position to another. V

8. In a coin. detector, the combination witha chute the downwardly inclined intake portion of which has an elongated escapeopening in the under edge thereof, and a longitudinally adjustable plate secured to the under edge of the chute atone end of said opening forregulating the length of the passage through the latter, of an escape.- ment which in one position is adapted to prevent a coin from vpassing down through said chute beyond said escape opening when the latter open to the passage of the coin, and in. its ether pesition opens said chute a passage through the latter, of an escapement escapement compris'ing a substantially ores-c and closes saidescape opening, andmeans for. moving said escapefnent from one pan the under edge of the chute at one end of said opening for regulating the'length of the comprising a suitable crescent shaped member which is adapted when in one position to prevent a coin from passing down through said chute beyond said escape opening when the latter is open to the tpassage of th ejcoin, and when in its opposite posltion is'adapted to open said chute and close the passage through said opening, and means for movingsaid escapement from one position to another. v v

10. In a coin detector, the combination with a chute the downwardly inclined intake portion of which has an elongated escape opening in the under edge thereof, of an cent shaped member which is' pivoted between its ends, which in one position closes the throat of the chute and opensthe passage through said openings,- and vice versa, a lever pivotedjte the chnte near the upper end thereof and having its shorter arm or beak projecting into the throat of the chute near its entrance, and means actuated by said lever for timing the movement of said escapement. l 1

11. In a coin, detector, the combination with achute the downwardly inclined intake portionof which has an elongated escape opening inthe unde'r edge thereof, of an escapement comprising a substantially crescent shaped member which is pivoted between its ends, which in one position closes the throat, of the chute and opens the passage through said opening andin its other position opens said chute and closes the escapeopening, a lever pivoted to the chute near the upper end thereof and having its shorter arm or beak projecting intothe c 7 throat of the chute near its entrance, and

means, includinga revolving shaft with butterfly vanes actuated by saidlever, fortiming the movement of said esc'ape'me'nt.

c 12. In a coin detector, the combination with a chute the downwardly inclined intake portion ofv which has an elongated .escape openingin the under edge thereof, of an escapement comprising a substantially crescent shaped member whichis pivoted between its ends, which in one position closes the throatof the chute and opens the passage through said opening .andin its other position opens said chute and, closes the escape opening, a lever pivoted to. the chute tear h atre hreat the? arm or beak projects into the throat ofthe chute near its entrance, and means including a revoiatiqshaa"having a suitable Spiral surrounding the same which is engaged by a detent attached to said letter; said shaft having butter-fly vanes and adapted to time theoperation of said escapement.

13. In a coin detector, the combination with a chute the downwardly inclined intake portion of which has an elongated escapeopeningin the tinder edge'thereof, and a longitudinally adjustable gage-plate forregulating thelength of the passageof said escape opening, of an escapeinent comprising a substantially crescent shaped member which is pivoted between its ends, which in one position closesthe throat of the chute and opens the passage through said opening and in the other position opens said throat and closes said opening, a lever pivoted to the chute near the upper end thereof and having its shorter armor beak projecting into thethroat of the chute ne r its entrance, and means including a revoluble shaft havlng a suitable spiral surrounding the same which isengagedby a detent attached to said lever; said shaft haying butter-fly vanes and adapted to" time the operation of said escapeme'nt. b V

14;. In a coin detector, the combination with a chute the downwardly inclined intake portion of which has an elongatedes cape-opening in the under edge thereof, of an escapeinentcomprising a substantially crescent shaped member which is pivoted between its ends, which in one position closes the throat of the chute and opens the passage through said opening and in its other position opens said chute and closes said opening, a'spring depressed lever pivoted to the chute near the upper end thereof and having itss'hOrter arin or beak projecting into the throat ofthe chute near its entrance, and means including a revoluble shaft having a suitable spiral surrounding the same which is engaged by a suitable detent attached to said lever; said shaft having butterfly vanes and adapted to time theop e'ration of said escapement.

In a coin detector, the combination with a chute the downwardly inclined intake portion of which has an elongated escape-opening 1n the under edge thereof, of

an escapeine'nt comprising a substantially crescent shaped member which is pivoted between its ends, which in one position closes the throat of the chntr and opens the passage through said opening and in its other position opens said chute and closes said opening, a graduated'spring depressed lever pivoted to the ch'u'te near the upper end thereof and having its shorter arm or beak projecting into the throat of the chute near its entrance, and means including a revoluhle ,shatt haying a suitable s iral sur rounding the same which is engaged by a detent attached to saidlever; said shaft having butterfly vanes and adapted to time the operation of said escapement.

16. In a coin detector, the combination" with a chute the downwardly inclined intake portion of which has an elongated escape-opening in the under edgethereof, of an escapement comprising a substantially crescent shaped member which is pivoted be tween its ends, which in one position closes the throat of the chute and opensthe passage through said opening and in its other position opens said chute and closes said opening, a lever pivoted to the chute near the upper end thereof and having its. shorter arm or beak projecting into the throat of the chute near its entrancc,and means in cluding a revoluble shaft having a suitable spiral surrounding the same which is engaged by a resilient wiredetent attached to said lever; said shaft having butterfly vanes and adapted to time the operation of said escapement.

17. In a coin detector, the combination with a chute the downwardly inclined intake portion of which has an elongated escapeopening in the under edge thereof, of an escapement comprising a substantially crescent shaped transversely disposed member which is pivoted between its ends and one end of which is adapted to move through openings in the sides of said chute and the other under said escape opening, a lever fulcrumed adjacent its upper end and having its shorter branch enter the throat of said chute, a contraction spring connect ing the same to said chute, a rod'pivotally connected to said crescent shaped member 1 and extending through a projection from said lever, stops mounted on said rod above and below said lever, an expansion spring between the uppermost stop and said lever, and timing devices for regulating the down ward movement of the longer arm of said lever;

18. In a coin detector, the combination with a chute the downwardly inclined intake portion of which has an elongatedescape-opening in the under edge thereof, a longitudinally adjustable gage-plate for regulating the length of said escapement, of

an escapement comprising a substantially having its shorter branch enter the throat or" said chute, a contraction spring con- -necting the same to said chute, a rod pivotally connected to said crescent shaped member and extending through a proyectron from said lever, stops mounted on said rod above and below said lever, an expansion spring between the uppermost stop and said lever, and timing devices for regulating the downward movement of the longer arm of said lever.-

In witness whereof I have hereuntoset my hand this 30th day of Dec, 1914.

' CLIFFORD H. GREEN. Witnesses:

PETER D. VANDER z/ nnr, F. BFPHIPPS Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 13.70. I 7 

